Immigration, asylum and border control. Responsible for policy on immigration and asylum, implementation of the immigration cap, policy on passports and oversight of Her Majesty's Passport Office and the General Register Office, creation of a border police force, border control and enforcement including oversight of UK Visas and Immigration; Crime and security. Counter-terrorism, Olympic security, exclusion orders, departmental science, including counter-terrorism science and technology, extradition, mutual legal assistance

Crime prevention and anti-social behaviour reduction. Crime reduction policy, drugs and alcohol policy, use of DNA and reform of DNA database, Licensing Act and powers of police and local authorities, public order, use of powers of surveillance by local authorities, violent crime, CCTV, acquisitive and business crime, oversight of the Forensic Science Service

The Department outlined its aims for this Parliament in its Business Plan, which was published in May 2011 and superseded its Structural Reform Plan.[8] The plan said the department will:

1. Empower the public to hold the police to account for their role in cutting crime

Introduce directly elected Police and Crime Commissioners and make police actions to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour more transparent

2. Free up the police to fight crime more effectively and efficiently

Cut police bureaucracy, end unnecessary central interference and overhaul police powers in order to cut crime, reduce costs and improve police value for money. Simplify national institutional structures and establish a National Crime Agency to strengthen the fight against organised crime (and replace the Serious Organised Crime Agency)

3. Create a more integrated criminal justice system

Help the police and other public services work together across the criminal justice system

4. Secure our borders and reduce immigration

Deliver an improved migration system that commands public confidence and serves our economic interests. Limit non-EU economic migrants, and introduce new measures to reduce inflow and minimise abuse of all migration routes, for example the student route. Process asylum applications more quickly, and end the detention of children for immigration purposes

5. Protect people's freedoms and civil liberties

Reverse state interference to ensure there is not disproportionate intrusion into people‟s lives

6. Protect our citizens from terrorism

Keep people safe through the Government‟s approach to counter-terrorism

Help create a fair and flexible labour market. Change culture and attitudes. Empower individuals and communities. Improve equality structures, frontline services and support; and help Government Departments and others to consider equality as a matter of course

The Home Office publishes progress against the plan on the 10 Downing Street website.[9]

To match the new names, there was a transferring of responsibilities between the two Departments of State. All domestic responsibilities were moved to the Home Office, and all foreign matters became the concern of the Foreign Office.

Most subsequently created domestic departments (excluding, for instance, those dealing with education) have been formed by splitting responsibilities away from the Home Office.

On 7 April 2012, hacktivist group Anonymous temporarily took down the UK Home Office website. The group took responsibility for the attack, which was part of ongoing Anonymous activity in protest against the deportation of hackers as part of Operation TrialAtHome. One Anonymous source claimed in their tweet it was also launched in retaliation for "draconian surveillance proposals".[11]

On 18 July 2012, the Public and Commercial Services Union announced that thousands of Home Office employees would[clarification needed] go on strike over jobs, pay and other issues.[12] However, the PCSU called off the strike before it was planned it claimed the department had, subsequent to the threat of actions, announced 1,100 new border jobs.[13]

For external shots of its fictional Home Office, the TV series Spooks uses an aerial shot of the Government Offices Great George Street instead, serving as stand-in to match the distinctly less modern appearance of the fictitious accommodation interiors the series uses.

Most front-line law and order policy areas, such as policing and criminal justice, are devolved in Scotland and Northern Ireland but the following reserved and excepted matters are handled by Westminster.